MORE than £1m in grants is being plough-ed into safeguarding and expanding Gwent's bus services this year.

Services will receive £1.3 million of Assembly investment, under the local transport services grant scheme.

The cash boost is part of an £8.450m Wales package - an increase of more than 12% compared with last year.

In Gwent, the money goes to: Newport, £268,365 Monmouthshire, £325,046 Torfaen, £229,830 Blaenau Gwent, £148,916.

As well as helping councils safeguard many local services, the increase in funding will also allow transport chiefs to look at the possibilities of extending routes, or introducing new services.

Transport minister Sue Essex said: "We know through the achievements of local authorities using the grant in 2002-03 what a difference this extra money makes. Local bus and community transport services are a vital part of an integrated transport system in Wales."

The money, allocated depending on population density, will be spent in Wales from April 2003 to April 2004.

In Newport previous grants have safeguarded the city Saturday service to the Royal Gwent, and a network of services to Newport leisure complex on Monday to Saturday evenings and on Sundays.

In Blaenau Gwent, the the Tredegar services on Mondays to Saturdays, and Abertillery local bus evening services were funded, and in Monmouthshire the Abergavenny local bus services on Mondays to Saturdays improved. The Wye Valley Wanderer Sunday service will also be able to continue, using the grant.

The local bus service between Pontypool and Forgeside on Mondays to Saturdays will receive extra funding through the grant.

Newport cabinet member for transport and sustainable development, Councillor Graham Dally said: "Any money that helps subsidise our local transport is welcome. Some of our routes rely heavily on subsidies and our populations need those services.

"In Newport we are looking at the possibility and cost of setting up a community transport service. It wouldn't be cheap but that's why we need grants like this one."

Bus passengers were today raising transport concerns to bus operators that serve Newport at a 'surgery' in John Frost Square.

The surgery, organised by the National Federation of Bus Users, (NFBU), ran until 3pm and was an opportunity for the public to discuss route and timetable issues and others with senior staff from Newport Transport and Stagecoach, the major local bus operators in the area.